Bunheads

Premise

Bunheads is the tale of Michelle Simms, a former 'bunhead' (slang for ballerina) who wound up as a Las Vegas showgirl. Seeing her life and career at a dead end, she impulsively takes up the offer of marriage from her persistent admirer, Hubbell Flowers, and moves to his sleepy coastal town, the fictional town of Paradise, California, halfway between Ojai and Oxnard (unlike the real-world town by that name). Once there, Hubbell is killed in a car accident and Michelle struggles to adjust to life in a small town and teaching alongside her mother-in-law, Fanny Flowers, at her ballet school, Paradise Dance Academy.

Cast and characters

Main

Sutton Foster as Michelle Simms Flowers: A Las Vegas chorus girl who reluctantly marries kindly Hubbell Flowers to escape her life. Soon, though, she realizes that he is actually a good person and begins to enjoy her new life until the latter's death.

Kaitlyn Jenkins as Bettina "Boo" Jordan

Julia Goldani Telles as Sasha Torres

Bailey Buntain as Virginia "Ginny" Thompson

Emma Dumont as Melanie "Mel" Segal

Recurring

Kelly Bishop as Fanny Flowers, Hubbell's mother

Stacey Oristano as Truly Stone, Hubbell's former girlfriend

Liza Weil as Millicent "Milly" Stone

Gregg Henry as Rico

Dendrie Taylor as Nina

Moises Parra as Moises

Rose Abdoo as Sam

Julie Claire as Anastasia Torres

Ellen Greene as Fanny's Friend

RaJahnae Patterson as RaJahnae

Casey J. Adler as Carl Cramer

Paul James Jordan as Dez

Zak Henri as Charlie Segal

Matisse Love as Matisse

Richard Gant as Michael

Angelina McCoy as Talia, Michelle's friend who is a dancer in Las Vegas

Jennifer Hasty as Nanette

Brad Ellis as Brad

Alan Ruck as Hubbell Flowers, Michelle's persistent admirer, and subsequently, her husband.

Nathan Parsons as Godot

Garrett Coffey as Roman

Hunter Foster as Scotty Simms

Cameos

In addition to recurring actors that carried over from Gilmore Girls, including Kelly Bishop, Liza Weil, Gregg Henry, and Rose Abdoo, numerous other known actors, as well as Broadway actors, also appeared in episodes of Bunheads.

Alex Borstein, who played Drella the harpist and Miss Celine, as Michelle's landlord in episode 1 and as Carl's Mother in episode 12.

Alex Ko, who played Alex, a dancer in episode 3.

Michael DeLuise, who played "TJ", as the magician "Jo Jo Deline" in episode 11.

Sean Gunn, who played Kirk Gleason, as the over-zealous barista Bash in episodes 9 and 17.

Chris Eigeman, who played Jason Stiles, as actor/director Conor in episode 8.

Todd Lowe, who played Zach van Gerbig, as the one-eyed plumber Davis in episode 7.

Biff Yeager, who played Tom the contractor, as Bob the hardware store owner in episodes 4 and 15.

Linda Porter, who played Fran Westin, as Sasha's neighbor Mrs. Weidemeyer in episode 15.

Jon Polito, who played Pete, owner of Pete's Pizza, as Sal Russano in episodes 5, 9, and 16.

Kalani Hilliker, who played a dancer

Production

Development

Bunheads first appeared on the development slate at ABC Family in September 2010, under the title Strut, when the show received a cast-contingent pilot order. Lamar Damon wrote the script, and production was originally expected to begin in fall 2010. In September 2011, it was reported that the series was being retooled by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who would serve as executive producer. Originally ABC had been looking for their own answer to the musical series Glee but Palladino suggested going in another direction and doing a series in the world of ballet. The series was given a pilot order under the new name Bunheads.

Casting

On September 28, 2011, it was announced that Broadway star Sutton Foster was set to star in the lead role as Michelle. On February 11, 2012, ABC Family ordered the pilot to series with a ten episode order. Following shortly, on February 15, 2012, it was announced that Kelly Bishop would join the show playing the recurring role of Fanny Flowers, the mother-in-law to Michelle.

Filming

Filming took place in November with creator Amy Sherman-Palladino writing and directing.

Music

It was announced on June 9, 2012, that singer-songwriter and Gilmore Girls composer Sam Phillips would score the music to Bunheads.

Renewal and cancellation

On August 17, 2012, Bunheads received a renewal for the "back end" of the first season (eight additional episodes). Bunheads returned on January 7, 2013, after Switched at Birth. On June 4, 2013, it was announced that Bunheads was one of 31 selected productions to receive California's Film and Television Tax Credit. Earning $5.82 million, the money would help fund a second season should the show be renewed. On July 4, 2013, it was announced that the sets were torn down, leading some reporters to speculate that the show would be canceled. ABC Family later confirmed that it was officially cancelled on July 22, 2013.

Reception

Critical response

Critics gave a very positive reception to the show, specifically praising Amy Sherman-Palladino's distinct writing and the performances of leading ladies Sutton Foster and Kelly Bishop. Robert Lloyd of Los Angeles Times thought "ABC Family's Bunheads a cute summer treat. Amy Sherman-Palladino strikes again with that Gilmore Girls charm in Bunheads, with Tony-winning Sutton Foster as a former showgirl mentoring budding ballerinas." Variety's Geoff Berkshire said "Sherman-Palladino's snappy banter and slightly melancholic characters only enrich the texture of a series perfectly pitched between comedy and drama." The Huffington Post's Maureen Ryan recommended the show saying "the pilot for Bunheads moves at a brisk, refreshing clip and it even packs an emotional wallop or two. The relationships that are sketched out in the first hour are promising. Sherman-Palladino has long been interested in characters who are dancing as fast as they can, and in this show, she has a whole new set to play with." Vanity Fair's James Wolcott titled the show a "knockout charmer" and singled out particular praise for lead Sutton Foster "revealing a knowing Carol Burnett-ish clowning flair that works beautifully on camera."

Newsday critic Diane Werts noted that "Bunheads set [a] multigenerational tone," and praised Sherman-Palladino's style. "Think they've all got a way with words? Some attitude? Smart pop-culture shout-outs? You betcha. Bunheads is from Gilmore Girls auteur Amy Sherman-Palladino, so it chatters just as giddily, from Gadhafi to Godzilla to Graceland." HitFix's Alan Sepinwall called "ABC Family's Bunheads a return to form for Amy Sherman-Palladino." and Time's James Poniewozik, though showing some minor concern for the series plot going forward, suggested, "What matters is its voice, and the spring in its step, and its first hour was just so damn enjoyable that I'll gladly season-pass this and see where the season takes it. Out of the gate, Bunheads had some impressive moves; I look forward to trying to keep up." Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly said in his review of the pilot, "Summer TV just got dreamier, dancier...Sherman-Palladino has constructed Bunheads cannily to both fit into and transcend ABC Family's programming." On the mixed front, David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle thought Bunheads "will take some work and it could just as easily become either annoying or likable."

Popular entertainment website The A.V. Club ranked Bunheads number 15 on their annual "The Best TV of 2012" list writing "At its best, Bunheads scavenges real heart out of its flea-market approach to plot and character. When Foster breathes “The re-usable tote!” and Kelly Bishop replies with satisfaction, “The re-usable tote,” it's time to be thankful Sherman-Palladino is back in business." The New Yorker's Emily Nussbaum included Bunheads among her favorite television shows of 2012, listing the Istanbul (Not Constantinople) dance number closing episode six as the year's most memorable TV moment, saying: "1. This. Television is always the best when it takes you by surprise. Following the season one finale, TIME's James Poniewozik wrote a piece on the show titled "On the Importance of Bunheads." In it he details Bunheads as a necessity in the TV landscape. "Over its first season, it’s been a joy to watch, funny, charming and bittersweet, and that’s reason enough for me to want it to stay on the air, despite not-great-even-for-ABC-Family ratings. But TV also needs this show to stay on the air, to prove that there are different kinds of stories worth telling outside the usual genres."

Awards and nominations

2012 Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout Star for Sutton Foster (nominated)

2013 Thalo's Critics' Choice Inspiration Award for Bunheads (won)

2013 Dorian Award for Unsung TV Show of the Year for Bunheads (nominated)

2013 Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Sutton Foster (nominated)

2013 TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming for Bunheads (won)

2013 Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Breakthrough Role for Sutton Foster (won)